Your Scuba BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) allows you to adjust buoyancy throughout the dive as well as hold your dive kit together.
It basically allows you to safely ascend and descend from your dive. It also helps maintain neutral buoyancy and keeps you streamlined, preventing you from crashing into the bottom or coral. That’s why it’s an important piece of dive equipment and consider to be part of the core dive gear.
BCDs aren’t cheap and come in different styles, sizes, and features to choose from.
So, how do you know what’s the best Scuba BCD for you?
We have done most of the work for you and created this guide to help you make the right choice, as well as a comparison chart and review of the best models.
What Is The Best Scuba BCD?
The best scuba BCD for you will significantly depend on your diving style, skill level, and where you will be doing most of your diving. For this reason, we have organized our reviews by styles to make your choice a lot easier to find the BCD that right for you.
If you’re still unsure what to look for in a new BCD, read our detailed buying guide below.
Best Jacket-Style BCD
This is the most popular style for recreational diving. It fits more like a vest and inflates in the rear, side, and front. This makes them very stable on the surface and very comfortable underwater. Below are our best picks for the best Jacket-Style BCD.
Cressi Start Pro 2.0 BCD
Key Features
● Affordable Price Point
● Simple weight integration
● Cleary Marked Size
● 2 Cargo Pockets
Manufacturer: Cressi
Design
A fairly lightweight and highly adjustable design makes for a comfortable fit while still being very durable. The Jacket Style BCD also provides excellent stability on the surface.
Functionality
This BCD works great for recreational diving with ample storage and D-Rings for accessories. However, it may lack the weight and lift capacity needed for more professional diving.
Ease of Use
The inflator hose fits comfortably in your hand and allows you to easily fine-tune your buoyancy, while the placement of dump valves makes it easy to dump air in any position.
Cost
The Cressi Start Pro 2.0 has an MSRP of under $400, which is a great price for all of the features it offers. It is perfect for beginners looking for an affordable system. Great value for the money.
Our Score:
4.3/5
Summary:
The Cressi Start Pro 2.0 is a great jacket-style entry-level BCD that is designed for fairly basic recreational diving needs. It is low-cost and very affordable, yet it still features a high level of durability, comfort, and adjustability you would expect for a top-of-the-line BCD. Seasoned divers looking for a budget-friendly option will also enjoy the stability of a jacket style BC and the convenience of the weight integration system.
Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Cressi Start Pro 2.0 at these recommend retailers:
Oceanic Oceanpro BCD
Key Features
● Simple, Minimalist Design
● Weight Integrated with Handle
● Padded for comfortable Fit
● 2 rear Trim Pockets
Manufacturer: Oceanic
Design
Utilizing a classic jacket style for recreational diving, it focuses mostly on the rental and entry-level market giving it a minimalist, simple, and rugged design.
Functionality
More than enough lift and weight capacity for recreational diving. Plenty of D-rings to clip on your accessories, and 2 large zipper pockets can easily secure small loose items and are easily accessible.
Ease of Use
The inflator fits into your hand comfortably and allows you to easily make precise buoyancy adjustments. 3 strategically placed dump valves also allow you to dump air in any position. Weight pockets are simple to install and can easily be dumped in an emergency.
Cost
The Oceanic Oceanpro is one of the more affordable weight-integrated BCDs on the market. It's a great choice for those who want all the features of a high-end BCD without the high price tag.
Our Score:
4.4/5
Summary:
The Oceanic Oceanpro BCD has a rugged, simple design that is perfect for recreational diving. It is comfortable to wear and has plenty of lift and weight capacity. The BCD also has trim pockets to help you achieve proper balance underwater. The only downside to this BCD is that it is on the heavier side and might be too basic for more advanced diving. Overall, the Oceanic Oceanpro BCD is a great choice for those who want a durable, feature-packed BCD at an affordable price.
Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Oceanic Oceanpro at these recommend retailers:
Sherwood Avid BCD
Key Features
● Jacket Style for Stability
● Easy-to-use weight integration
● Comfortable fit
● Prevent Sqeezing when Inflated
Manufacturer: Sherwood Scuba
Design
The jacket-style design gives Avid a sleek look and superior comfort in the water. The neoprene padded neck roll and 3D air cell bladder provide a comfortable diving experience.
Functionality
There are plenty of D-rings and pockets to hold all your scuba accessories. With plenty of lift and weight capacity for most recreational diving, the trim weight pockets are a nice addition.
Ease of Use
The CQR-3 integrated weight system is easy to use and the dump valves are conveniently placed for easy inflation and deflation.
Cost
The Sherwood Avid BCD is a great value for the money. Its feature-rich design makes it a good choice for both beginner and experienced divers alike.
Our Score:
4.3/5
Summary:
The Sherwood Avid BC is a high-quality, comfortable, and stable BC that is perfect for live-aboard diving. The CQR-3 weight system makes it easy to add and remove weights, and the secure integrated weight pockets keep them in place. With its padded neck roll and hydrodynamic jacket style bladder, the Avid provides a comfortable fit that eliminates chaffing and irritation. A great choice if you do a lot of repetitive recreational diving.
Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Sherwood Avid at these recommend retailers:
Aqua Lung Pearl BCD
Key Features
● Womenspecific design &fit
● 2 large zipper pockets
● Comfortable fit
● Octo Pocket
Manufacturer: Aqua Lung
Design
The Aqua Lung pearl is a well-designed BCD that fits the contours of a woman's body perfectly. The adjustable chest strap is a great feature for women with different-sized busts.
Functionality
This BCD is packed with features that make it perfect for diving, such as weight integration, an Octo pocket, and D-rings for attaching accessories. The Aqua Lung pearl is extremely comfortable to wear, even during long dives.
Ease of Use
The Aqua Lung pearl is easy to use and adjust. The weight pockets are easy to access and the D-rings are conveniently located.
Cost
The Aqua Lung pearl is a very affordable BCD, which makes it a great value for the features and quality it offers.
Our Score:
4.3/5
Summary:
The Aqua Lung pearl is a great choice for women divers who are looking for a BCD that is specifically designed to fit their body type. It is made from durable materials and features a number of key technologies weight integration, an Octo pocket, and D-rings for attaching accessories that make it an ideal choice for divers of all levels. The Aqua Lung pearl is also very affordable, making it a great value for the money.
Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Aqua Lung Pearl at these recommend retailers:
Best Back-Inflated BCD
Back-inflated BCDs generally referred to as wing BCDs, come with an air bladder that inflates only in the back on either side of the tank — resembling wings. These are more streamlined and provide better horizontal positioning underwater, but are not very stable on the surface. These are more preferred by advanced recreational divers and technical divers for their incredible lift capacity and freedom of movement. Below is our pick of the best Back-Inflated BCD on the market today.
Zeagle Stiletto BCD
Key Features
● Durable and Rugged
● Lightweight, yet full-featured
● Detachable Inflater System
● Dumpable Trip Pocket
Manufacturer: Zeagle
Design
The Zeagle Stiletto BCD is made to be super tough yet lightweight enough to compete with other travel BCDs.
Functionality
It offers a great deal of lift and weight capacity. Thanks to its fully adjustable straps, ergonomic nature, and lightweight design, it's also very comfortable.
Ease of Use
The inflator system is very user-friendly and dump valves are well placed for best performance. Easy to pack for tavel.
Cost
The Zeagle Stiletto BCD comes in at a very reasonable price, maybe just a bit expensive, but not overly so. It offers great value for the price.
Our Score:
4.6/5
Summary:
The Zeagle Stiletto is a great mid-to-high-end back-inflated BCD that's great for both warm and temperate diving. Although it does not have all the features for more technical diving it still has more than significant lift and weight capacity for pretty much any recreational diving. While it's designed to be rugged, it is still lightweight and packs easily for traveling. This is an excellent choice if you're looking for a BCD that's great for both travel and local diving. Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Zeagle Stiletto at these recommend retailers:
Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD
Key Features
● Rugged Durable Design
● Modular and Customizable
● Great for Travel and Local Diving
● Comfortable Fit
Manufacturer: Scubapro
Design
A modular design allows Hydros pro to be very versatile, it works great as a travel BCD or for diving locally. The ability to customize it to your own diving needs is a huge selling point. The neoprene construction also makes the Hydros pro extremely durable and resistant to wear and tear.
Functionality
The back wing design keeps you nice and horizontal in the water and also does not trap air in the bladder like some other back plate and wing BDC. The integrated weight system and trim pockets make it easy to adjust your buoyancy on the fly.
Ease of Use
The power inflator is easy to use and allows you to precisely add air to your BCD. The dump valves are easy to locate when you need to quickly dump air. Fitting the BCD onto a dive tank is also very quick and easy with Scubapro's Cinch Cam Band.
Cost
The hydros pro is not the cheapest BCD on the market. However, if you're looking for a top-of-the-line BCD with premium materials then this BCD is for you. Also, with its rock-solid durability, you won't have to replace this BCD anytime soon.
Our Score:
4.8/5
Summary:
The Scubapro Hydros Pro BCD is a top-of-the-line modular black-inflated BCD that makes it easy to replace components to change how it weighs and functions. It can either be a tough, weight-integrated BCD or lightweight enough to be packed for travel. It also features a flexible harness made from a monoplane which can mold and holds its position while being tough as neals.Read The Full Review
Where to Buy:
Get a great deal on the Scubapro Hydros Pro at these recommend retailers:
Best BCD for Travel
These BCDs are designed explicitly for the traveling diver. They are generally made from lighter materials, dry fast, and are designed to be able to pack easily. In order, to make them lighter and more compact they might lack some features and comfort.
Aqualung Zuma BCD
Key Features
● Ultra Lightweight
● Folds easy for traveling
● Affordable Price Point
● Streamline Back-Inflated Design
Manufacturer: Aqua Lung
Design
It's specifically designed for the traveling diver. It rolls up like a sleeping bag, is incredibly lightweight, and fits in carry-on Luggage. However, it doesn't have a lot of features for more advanced diving.
Functionality
The shoulder straps are comfortable and adjustable, so you can find the perfect fit for your body. A valve strop keeps the dive tank close to the body and helps prevent shifting during the dive. Adequate lift and weight capacity for recreational diving in worm tropical water.
Ease of Use